Burn
by The Genius Mage
Summary: Mario looked into the eyes of the Koopa King, and for a moment felt fear lacerate his heart. Looking behind him, he saw a beautiful girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. That's when he realized one simple fact. An insight into Mario.


Burn

Mario didn't know why they expected him to be able to do anything.

He was a plumber, a lost one at that, only entering this strange Kingdom due to walking inside some strange pipes to stop the odd creatures emerging from within at their source. He never expected this huge, colorful world full of friendly mushroom people and dangerous monsters. Their princess was captured, exclaimed an old man called Toadsworth. Help us, Master Mario.

Huh? How did this mushroom guy, this Toad, know his name? But somehow seeing these people stirred up memories from deep within his heart, and he had a vague echo of clear blue eyes set in a young face, framed with blonde hair...

Who would have guessed it? Mario summoned up the courage to help, but every step, every jump, called up more doubts in the hero. Could he possibly save these people, save them from some terrible being they called King Koopa?

The name once again sparked a familiar feeling in the plumber, but how he didn't know.

Mario succeeded in getting to the castle, and once again he couldn't believe that he had managed to avoid all of those traps and monsters, and for a moment he let a spark of pride light his face.

Then, on the bridge over the glowing lava, he emerged. The Koopa towered over the plumber, red eyes narrowed in hatred and anger, horns curved skyward in the harsh, blood red light. Lifting one massive ivory claw, the Koopa laughed, tongues of fire flashing in his jaws.

Mario felt the heat, hotter than the lava, that radiated out from the Koopa. The King surveyed him with the lazy elegance of a cat, and the plumber was certain he was going to burn, burn to death in the fierce blaze around him.

"You can't win," jeered the King, mockingly, arrogantly. His voice was as rough as the fire he called on, crackling like embers but shaking like the earth. "You're a plumber, lost in our world. An outsider. What gives you the righ to intervere in our politics?"

Mario felt conflicted, and for a moment his courage faltered, wondering how he could beat the massive turtle in front fo him. His eyes slid away from the source of the roaring heat that burned at his skin, and he saw someone else.

The girl from his brief memory. He was certain.

She had long blonde hair with sapphire eyes, her hands folded in front of her pink dress. She was looking at him fearfully, begging with her eyes for his help.

Everything else fell away, and the only thing Mario was aware of was her. Was it love? He had no idea. But the heat suddenly cooled and he felt a new fire rage inside of him, a fire that warmed his heart and mind, chasing the cold tendrils of fear away.

He was certain of one thing: If it was for her, he could do anything.

Mario leaped backward just in time as a shot of fire emerged from the Koopa King's jaws. Skipping past the embers and closer to the turtle, he did something both risky and stupid.

He leaped clear over the startled Koopa's head, higher than any human had a right to, and as he landed safely he heard the girl's voice, the captured Princess Peach he remembered, call delightedly,

"Mario!"

Koopa turned around, hissing in frustation, devilish eyes narrowing back into scarlet slits. Mario ran forward, leaping on a button left behind the King as a last resort, should Mario almost beat him. The Koopa had planned on stepping backward on it if his foe was to prove himself difficult, but now that plan had backfired.

With a thunderous roar the bridge snapped, falling into the depths of the lava. Mario leaned over to watch, and he saw King Koopa's startled look. The turtle flailed his arms and fell into the lava, snarling and crying out in agony and anger, claws reaching for the sky. He went under briefly, then resurfaced, dragging his nails across the wall as if to pull himself back up, but to no avail.

He went under for the last time and didn't resurface. When Mario turned around, he nervously smiled.

"Yeah," he said, replying to Peach's earlier comment on his name. She saw her amused expression and smiled back. "It's a-me, Mario."

~***~

**_I have no idea where this came from, review anyway?_**


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